Note: At 6:55 I talk about having a second encounter. If the offense decides to have a second encounter after winning their first encounter, make sure to start with the REGROUP PHASE where the offense takes one ship out of the warp, then go through all of the other phases as normal.
This is an excellent overview and rules explanation. I’m astonished that it doesn’t have more views. It is going to be sent to every new player I play Cosmic with from now on.
Wow! I really appreciate your comment! My goal with this channel is to make short, informational videos that get right to the point. Are there any other games you'd like me to make a refresher for?
Thanks for watching! I hope so too! I watched videos on Cosmic Encounter for years and I just didn't "get" it until I played the game. Then I understood why so many people like it. I don't play it as often as I'd like but whenever I do, it's always a great experience.
I agree. I purchased a used copy with 3 expansions and have only been able to play the game one time. It was a great experience. When I take it to meet ups there are two common refrains: 1. We need at least 5 players 2. Oh, what a great game. I love CE. Now let's go play some Terraforming Mars.
@@CosmicTavern Well, it's not that important, but every planet has it's own artwork on the front. Also, why would you remove a planet from the table? With "lost" do you mean "empty"? Colonies can be established on an empty planet, too.
In the Regroup phase does every player recover one of their ships from the Warp, or just the player whose turn it is?! (I believe it's just the player whose turn it is.)
Hi Jim, thanks for watching! Flare cards, after being played, are returned back to your hand at the end of the encounter. You don't discard them like you would normal attack cards. This is what makes flares really powerful. It also gives you the knowledge of what flare someone has, so you can try to steal it by purposefully losing an encounter by playing a negotiate card. Also, there are two extra rules you need to remember about flares. A flare can only be used once in an encounter and you can only play one flare card per encounter. If a big part of your hand is flare cards only, then each encounter, you can decide which one you want to use. But again, you can only play one flare per encounter and its effect can only happen once in that encounter. As long as you have one encounter card (attack, negotiate, morph) then you don't have to draw a new hand. If you don't have any encounter cards and you need to draw a new hand, that's when you lose all your flares. You discard your entire hand. Though you can play a flare at that time, if it is possible, before discarding it. Let me know if you need any more clarification.
@@CosmicTavern Thank you very much, thats a much more elaborate answer that I was hoping for, and more elaborate than I could find in the manual of the game. I will remember this next time I'll play!
Hello! I believe the only variant included in the base game is the technology deck. All other variants require the expansions. I'd suggest you play the base game to see if you like it. If you do, I highly recommend you pick up all the expansions as they add more ways to play. They also add new aliens to choose from!
Is there a hand limit of how many cards a player can have? -> Found my answer: No! : ) Also, when playing w/ Technology cards, if I have a successful Encounter & choose to gain another tech card instead of having another Encounter- the Regroup phase does not still happen does it?
Correct! There's no limit on how many cards you can have and with some aliens you can end up having a HUGE amount. Regarding your second question, if you choose to gain another tech card instead of having another encounter, the regroup phase does NOT happen. You are giving up your entire second encounter and since the first phase of an encounter is the regroup phase, it never happens. Let me know if you have any other questions. This is such an awesome game!
You're welcome and thanks for watching! One of my main goals for this channel, other than to teach the rules clearly, quickly and correctly, is to make sure that I go over any rules that have been known to cause confusion.
It's not actually in the rule book. I think it was an accidental omission but if you read a lot of threads on board game geek, that's how it's supposed to be played. There's also a "Cosmic Quake" variant that occurs when both the discard and the draw piles are both empty but I think it's extremely rare for that to happen. Thanks for watching!
@@CosmicTavern just play them. Trust me. There's no comparison. Also the way we played them back in the day was more like a controlled dnd. The only rule is that there are no rules!
I have to disagree Sarah. The creation of an updated version doesn’t invalidate the older edition. The creator, Bill Eberle and Peter Olatka were both involved in designing every edition of CE that has been released to date. People certainly Roleplayed early CE (talking and acting like their alien counterparts), and you could still do the same here, but this provides a structure to the game that allows it to be expanded beyond the original 6 aliens that the game came with. See the designers website for more info and links. www.cosmicencounter.com/about
Note: At 6:55 I talk about having a second encounter. If the offense decides to have a second encounter after winning their first encounter, make sure to start with the REGROUP PHASE where the offense takes one ship out of the warp, then go through all of the other phases as normal.
Excellent video! Great work!
Glad it helped! Thanks!
This is an excellent overview and rules explanation. I’m astonished that it doesn’t have more views. It is going to be sent to every new player I play Cosmic with from now on.
That's awesome! I tried to make it as short as possible, while still being clear and thorough.
This is the best instructional video i’ve seen for this game.
Wow! I really appreciate your comment! My goal with this channel is to make short, informational videos that get right to the point. Are there any other games you'd like me to make a refresher for?
Cosmic Tavern The games that immediately come to mind for me personally. Shadows Over Camelot & Dark Moon.
Really well made video. Can't believe this doesn't have more views.
Thank you for the feedback and thanks for watching!
Awesome video!
Glad you liked it! Thanks!
Great video. I really hope the new Anniversary edition Sparks some renewed interest in CE.
Thanks for watching! I hope so too! I watched videos on Cosmic Encounter for years and I just didn't "get" it until I played the game. Then I understood why so many people like it. I don't play it as often as I'd like but whenever I do, it's always a great experience.
I agree. I purchased a used copy with 3 expansions and have only been able to play the game one time. It was a great experience.
When I take it to meet ups there are two common refrains:
1. We need at least 5 players
2. Oh, what a great game. I love CE. Now let's go play some Terraforming Mars.
I think it's pretty fun with 4 players, but I probably wouldn't want to play with 3.
Great refresher, but why on earth are all the blue and green planets upside-down?
Ha...wow, I never knew there was a difference.
@@CosmicTavern Well, it's not that important, but every planet has it's own artwork on the front. Also, why would you remove a planet from the table? With "lost" do you mean "empty"? Colonies can be established on an empty planet, too.
@@TheLuggi84 That's good to know! I misread your comment. Yes, I keep them on the table since like you said, empty planets can be colonized again.
In the Regroup phase does every player recover one of their ships from the Warp, or just the player whose turn it is?!
(I believe it's just the player whose turn it is.)
Jake Kamps Only the offense (active player) takes a ship from the warp during the regroup phase.
Do you ever have to discard flare cards? What if a big part of your hand is flare cards only?
Hi Jim, thanks for watching! Flare cards, after being played, are returned back to your hand at the end of the encounter. You don't discard them like you would normal attack cards. This is what makes flares really powerful. It also gives you the knowledge of what flare someone has, so you can try to steal it by purposefully losing an encounter by playing a negotiate card.
Also, there are two extra rules you need to remember about flares. A flare can only be used once in an encounter and you can only play one flare card per encounter.
If a big part of your hand is flare cards only, then each encounter, you can decide which one you want to use. But again, you can only play one flare per encounter and its effect can only happen once in that encounter. As long as you have one encounter card (attack, negotiate, morph) then you don't have to draw a new hand. If you don't have any encounter cards and you need to draw a new hand, that's when you lose all your flares. You discard your entire hand. Though you can play a flare at that time, if it is possible, before discarding it. Let me know if you need any more clarification.
@@CosmicTavern Thank you very much, thats a much more elaborate answer that I was hoping for, and more elaborate than I could find in the manual of the game. I will remember this next time I'll play!
Hi! I'm about to purchase the base game. Does the variants explained in this video included on the base game, or do I need the expansion(s)?
Hello! I believe the only variant included in the base game is the technology deck. All other variants require the expansions. I'd suggest you play the base game to see if you like it. If you do, I highly recommend you pick up all the expansions as they add more ways to play. They also add new aliens to choose from!
Is there a hand limit of how many cards a player can have? -> Found my answer: No! : )
Also, when playing w/ Technology cards, if I have a successful Encounter & choose to gain another tech card instead of having another Encounter- the Regroup phase does not still happen does it?
Correct! There's no limit on how many cards you can have and with some aliens you can end up having a HUGE amount.
Regarding your second question, if you choose to gain another tech card instead of having another encounter, the regroup phase does NOT happen. You are giving up your entire second encounter and since the first phase of an encounter is the regroup phase, it never happens. Let me know if you have any other questions. This is such an awesome game!
Thank you for the helpful accurate replies.
You're welcome and thanks for watching! One of my main goals for this channel, other than to teach the rules clearly, quickly and correctly, is to make sure that I go over any rules that have been known to cause confusion.
7:20 Where is this in the rulebook?? I never heard anything happening when encounter deck run out.
It's not actually in the rule book. I think it was an accidental omission but if you read a lot of threads on board game geek, that's how it's supposed to be played. There's also a "Cosmic Quake" variant that occurs when both the discard and the draw piles are both empty but I think it's extremely rare for that to happen. Thanks for watching!
You even time stamp everything, are you god?
Haha. I want to make it easy for people to find the section they are looking for.
>giant Alien cards
>Text is still small
Man this isn't cosmic encounter. Try the original eon or mayfair. Thata the only real cosmic encounters. Seriously.
I haven't played those versions. What did you like about them?
@@CosmicTavern just play them. Trust me. There's no comparison. Also the way we played them back in the day was more like a controlled dnd. The only rule is that there are no rules!
I have to disagree Sarah. The creation of an updated version doesn’t invalidate the older edition. The creator, Bill Eberle and Peter Olatka were both involved in designing every edition of CE that has been released to date. People certainly Roleplayed early CE (talking and acting like their alien counterparts), and you could still do the same here, but this provides a structure to the game that allows it to be expanded beyond the original 6 aliens that the game came with. See the designers website for more info and links.
www.cosmicencounter.com/about